A baker's dozen is getting more than you expected, it's delightful, sometimes more than you can handle - and never, ever dull!

Friday, March 2, 2012

Welcome Back, Me! (or is it, Welcome Me Back!?)

Here's something that sounds like a joke, but definitely is not. Q. How do you know when you've been away from your blog too long? A. You can't remember your password. AND the donuts in your header have been eaten. Seriously, did you notice they're gone?! What kind of a world do we live in when people can steal donuts from a blog header?! (Update: Donuts are back; looking no worse for the vacay. And yes, children, I did just type vacay. I told you I was cool!)

But I'm smart. So I figured out my password (I use the same two all the time. Please don't tell the blog thieves.) It's not like I've been vegetating while not blogging. I've been learning stuff. Plus, doing stuff. And helping other people do plenty of stuff, too. (But no vocab stuff, obviously.) And I'll get some more donuts. Geesh.

I'm sick of hearing my excuses for not blogging, so I'm sure you are. But here's the thing (...you knew I was going to give an excuse, didn't you?), I stopped because I started doing some Blog Introspection, which led to some Blog Discouragement. Not because I read a lot of discouraging blogs; quite the contrary. There are so many great ones. And there are plenty of great blogs that are also willing to tell me how to have my own great blog.

For awhile there it seemed to me like there was no need for me to blog if I wasn't going to attempt to have a Great Blog....with lots of readers (although I did break 100 followers .... while I wasn't blogging....Go Figure.) .... with advertising...and guest posting...and other people linking to me world-wide.

I get tired just reading that last sentence. Too much pressure. (Too much work.)

Two things worked together to rouse me from my Blog Slump. (1) Reading my two daughters' blog updates. See my sidebar for the addresses since I don't know how to link to both of them at once. Granted, they are both amazing girls who could totally have World Wide Blog Popularity if they wanted. But they are simply blogging through life...and I'm so happy they are. I love reading about their lives - and I honestly think their children are going to look back one day and know their moms in a deeper way because they took the time to chronicle their lives this way.

Sure wish my mom had had a blog. What books would've been on her sidebar? Which of her friends would she have linked to? Would she have put cute pictures of me on her blog? Pictures of me with a tight perm, that I would have later tried to delete?

It'd be like looking through a scrapbook, with digital running commentary.

(2) The longer you don't blog, the harder it is to get back to it. This is true of anything. Exercise. Bible study. Getting dressed :) And then the project takes on gargantuan proportions so that one might feel like one would never have time enough to accomplish said project. But recently I came across a time management technique (which I am using this very minute to accomplish this long-procrastinated goal of blogging) called the Pomodoro Technique.

And I'll tell you about it next time I blog. Because my pomodoro is up.

But in the meantime, the blog experts say I will never have a successful (by their def.) blog without pictures. But when there are grandchildren, there are pictures :) Top: GrandMama and Sophie at Christmas. Don't you love her 'camera smile'? Bottom: Newest granddaughter, Eleanor (10 days old today :)

Welcome back! Who stole the doughnuts? What is a pomodoro and will it help me be more organized? Thanks for posting the links to your daughters' blogs ... I'm off to read them now. ADORABLE pictures of adorable grandbabies (and grandma).

So glad you're back! Don't be discouraged. I don't even know you, but I am encouraged by your anecdotes and your devotion to homeschooling through the years. I am a new homeschooler, and I need all the help I can get. :)

Mama Weso, three comments!? You do love me. But if I told you about the pomodoro now, I'd never see you again. You must come back :)And heavens no...it's not only for those who are already organized. Stay tuned!

Dear daughter Mary-Faith....Oops! I did forget you had a blog. But I also forgot my password, and (briefly) lost my donuts. So forgive me. I'm adding you to my sidebar right away. Watch out for all the traffic you'll get :)

i was just talking about the pomodoro with my kids this week. maxx is reading the book. i downloaded it onto my iPad months ago. then i forgot about reading it until on the plane last week. guess i should have set a pomodoro for reading the pomodoro book...

Well of course the Marshalls have already heard of the pomodoro technique. I can NEVER go one up on those people! Well, perhaps I will beat you to the punch blogging about it, sister. (Although it's not a contest and I'm not competitive at all. cough:cough)

So glad I checked to see if you had written anything. I have had my pomodoro checklist out since January with nothing written on it. Maybe now I'll give it a try. You are great fun and an inspiration to read!

Janet, of course you (and Lea) already knew about pomodoros, you're both just a teensy-tinesy bit Type A. So the Big Question is...Why didn't you tell me about them? Hiding pomodoros is about as bad as stealing donuts/doughnuts (both acceptable spellings...but then you probably already knew that, too :)

Welcome Back! I LOVE your blog!!! Please don't stop blogging!!!! You have a UNIQUE family and a UNIQUE sense of humor and a lot of wisdom learned the hard way (through difficulties and challenges!) I definitely love every single one of your posts!! and will probably COMMENT on 90% of your posts! I am holding my breath to see what a Pomodoro is . . . . so please don't wait to long before your next post! LOL!

I just wanted to say thank you so much for talking to me about our adoption situation. I would love to give you an update if you have the time. My e-mail address is jamiemarino@att.net I also would love to ask you a few questions about adoption & homeschooling. Something you said to me made a huge impact on me & I would love to personally thank you by e-mail or over the phone.